For the United States men's national team, Thursday's CONCACAF Gold Cup group-stage match against Martinique wasn't really about the result. The 6-1 win matters, of course, but the real value for head coach Gregg Berhalter was in seeing some young faces up close in a competitive environment.
The upcoming three-match World Cup qualifying windows in September, October and January will require more rotation than in past cycles. So while many of the first-choice spots can almost pick themselves, there are still several players fighting for meaningful roles.